A Jewel of a Novel

Scandal
Berkley Sensation
February 3, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-425-22551-6
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The earl of Banallt is no stranger to scandal. But when he meets Sophie Evans, the young wife of a fellow libertine, even he is shocked by his reaction. This unconventional and intelligent woman proves to be far more than an amusing distraction- she threatens to drive him to distraction. Unlike the women who usually fall at Banallt's feet, and into his bed, Sophie refuses to be seduced. And soon Banallt desires her more than ever- and for more than an illicit affair.

Years later, the widowed Sophie is free, and Banallt is determined to win the woman he still loves. Unfortunately, she doesn't believe his declaration of love and chivalrous offer of marriage- her heart has already been broken by her scoundrel of a husband. And yet, Sophie is tempted to indulge in the torrid affair she's always fantasized about. Caught between her logical mind and her long-denied desire, Sophie must thwart Banallt's seduction- or risk being consumed by the one man she should avoid at all costs...

An intense, beautiful love story and a most rewarding read.
-Sherry Thomas, bestselling author of Delicious.

Jewel plays readers' emotions like a virtuoso, ensuring they will eagerly follow her characters into dramatic, intensely passionate and gripping love stories that will steal your heart and make you beg for more. She grabs you at the first word and never lets go.
- Kathe Robin, Romantic Times

...there's a richness and a poignancy that elevates the entire book to a whole other level of "good." It's impossible to sum up this book in mere tropes. It's a story of two people who had to grow up to appreciate each other, and it's a story of survival and strength, trust and renewal. The characters are older than the standard hero and heroine you encounter in romance. It's difficult to read at times, and bleak in others, but throughout, both in the past and the present of the story, Jewel weaves a furious sexual tension between Banallt and Sophie that reaches and maintains scorching levels. . . . This book took my breath away.
- Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books

WOW. Simply, wow. That is the only word I can use to describe this masterpiece. It has been such a long time since I have read such a rich, emotional and tension filled romance. Not only did Scandal have me hooked from the very first page, but this is the first book, in a very long time, where I had to read straight through into the wee hours of the night because I couldn't put it down. When an author can write such a book, that book is destined for greatness. I wouldn't be surprised if Scandal becomes one of the favorites of 2009, and perhaps placed on most reader's lists for all time favorite historical. ... Scandal is a must read book that should not be passed by. Carolyn Jewel has written a mature and emotional romance that has everything from passion, love and most importantly respect. The respect that a man and woman can have for one another.
- Kate Garrabrant, Romance Novel TV

Readers looking for a deeply emotional and very well-written book will love this one. I have a certain weakness for flawed but redeemable characters, and this tale very much hit the spot. I cannot wait to see more historicals from this author in the future.
- Lynn Spencer, All About Romance

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You can see Carolyn's book trailer on my blog: www.JudiFennell.wordpress.com

Q&A With Carolyn

Judi: What's the main thing you hope people take away from your book?
Carolyn: A burning and insatiable desire to buy my backlist and everything else I ever write for the rest of my life. And to tell everyone they know to do
the same thing. OK, seriously, I just hope they enjoy the heck out of
the story.

Judi: What's your Writer Fantasy--i.e., to see your book make into a
feature film, to be on the New York Times bestseller list for 40
consecutive weeks, etc.?
Carolyn: Hmm. My fantasies typically involve Adrian Paul or Jet Li. But I could
live with 40 weeks on the NYT bestseller list. If I had to.

Judi: What's one piece of writing advice you've found valuable on your
journey to publication?
Carolyn: Dorothea Brande's section of Tapping the Unconscious in "Becoming A Writer" which included this warning; "If you fail repeatedly at
this exercise, give up writing. Your resistance is actually greater than
your desire to write and you may as well find some other outlet for your
energy early as late." Alas, I failed miserably and repeatedly at her free-writing exercise. It seems I am a no-talent amateur with delusions of grandeur. I can't explain my ten (counting through the end of 2009) published novels, given this failure. I think I must be a freak of some sort.

Brande's book taught me that writing advice can, and possibly should, be
ignored. Writers follow different paths to success and one path is never
more valid than another. What works for me may not work for you and
there's nothing wrong with that. The point is to actually go out and
find what works for you.

Judi: So what inspired your book?
Carolyn: Terror. I'm only partly kidding. Just about all my books are inspired by
the terror of believing it isn't working and that, working or not, I won't be able to finish on time. More seriously, Scandal is set during the English Regency period (which was 1811-1820) and I very deliberately drew on my grad school research on a woman who wrote during this time period. Women of the English upper classes had few resources if the men in their lives did not, for whatever reason, fulfill their cultural obligation to take care of their female relatives. Writing novels was one of the few things a woman could do, openly or secretly, to make money. I was astonished to discover that the money a novelist could expect to make in 1815 isn't much different than it is today. The chief difference between then and now lies in the copyright. In 1815, publishers bought the copyright outright. The author was paid once and that was it. Today, authors typically retain the copyright to their work.

Judi: What's up next? Do you have another project in the works? If so,
please tell us about it.
Carolyn: In June, 2009, Grand Central Publishing will release My Forbidden
Desire, the second of an Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance set in a world
that includes mages and demons. Indiscreet will be an October 2009
historical from Berkley Sensation.

Judi: And, finally, everyone always wants to know, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done since becoming a writer?
Carolyn: HAHAHAHAHA! The dishes?